The silvers came from young thrower Jamie Stevenson in the shot and team captain Peter Irving in the 400 hurdles, but it was the javelin that provided the highlight of the night.
Though not at her very best, 21-year-old Thérin’s fourth javelin throw at the Kalipatira Stadium hit the turf at 50.54 metres to put her well clear of the field and was more than enough to deny second-placed Leana Vahter of Saaremaa (47.52).
Ever the competitor, Thérin had been hoping to break the Games record but admitted that she was delighted to have lifted her first Island Games title.
The Commonwealth Games athlete, who was around a metre and a half short of her best, will also be hunting gold in the discus this week – with perhaps another crack at a Games record – while a medal in the shot can’t be ruled out either.
She said: ‘I’m really happy to have won the gold for the team, but I’m disappointed not to have cracked the record.
The conditions were bad tonight.
I thought I’d really pulled out a big one but the wind brought it down.
I think the discus record is within reach.
I’ll certainly have a go for it.’ Thérin was not the only Jersey athlete to impress in the javelin, and when Ma Normandie was played at the opening ceremony it was difficult to know whether to feel happy or sad for 16-year-old Becky Slater.
Cruelly denied a bronze by the final 41.86m throw of Saaremaa’s Kirsti Valli, the youngster still put on a tremendous show in absolutely obliterating her personal best by well over four metres.
Her throw of 41.04 should put in her in great heart for the English Schools championships next week.
The evening started with the 400m hurdles, with reigning champion Peter Irving doing everything he could to collect gold again but being pipped by Caymans’ Junior Hines, who won in 54.04.
That was a time that a fit Irving would have beaten with relative ease just a month ago, but a foot injury has severely limited his training, resulting in him having to settle for a time of 54.30.
Coach Andrew Winnie said: ‘Peter simply couldn’t have done any more on the night.
That was as well as the injury would allow him to run.
It’s disappointing, but a good performance and an excellent silver.’ Seventeen-year-old Stevenson, in his second Games, was in the silver medal position throughout the tough shot competition, with his second effort setting a new PB – a mark he stretched further with his final putt of 15.15m.
A delighted Stevenson, just edged out by the older and more experienced Genaro Paas of Saaremaa, who recorded an early 15.95m to set the standard, has changed his focus from the discus to the shot this season.
The Highlands student, who was winning his first Island Games medal, said: “I’m really happy to have done that with the men’s weight.
I’ll have to get used to it, so I’ll be throwing it a lot more often.
Stephanie Le Cornu, who did superbly well to qualify for the 400m final, went off well at the start in lane eight and was still in contention at the start of the final bend.
She clocked 60.47 to finish seventh in a race won by Guernsey’s Kimberly Goodhall in 58.66.
Will Perchard (17), who had set a 200m PB of 22.82 in morning qualifying for last night’s final, finished eighth in 23.33, and will have benefited enormously from the experience.
A delighted coach Winnie said: ‘You can’t ask for much better than that tonight.
Medals and PBs – that’s what it’s all about.’ There is another full programme of athletics today.
